


Getting Home

by InsominiacArrest



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Blizzards & Snowstorms, F/F, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-30
Updated: 2016-01-30
Packaged: 2018-05-17 07:06:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5859034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsominiacArrest/pseuds/InsominiacArrest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Asami is an engineering professor who gets caught in a snow storm, Korra is the campus police that comes and helps her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Getting Home

Her engineering class ran late. Or, more specifically, one of her students wanted to talk to her until the hours trickled by into the dark night.

Which was fine, it really was, there so few women in those classes Asami didn’t mind indulging one or two about the finer points of electrical engineering. Well, except that fact it was dumping five feet of snow outside.

Her student left twenty minutes before she's ready to head out, gathering her things from her desk before checking her watch, it was 7:32. She couldn’t stall in her nice warm office forever, she turns off the lights as she reaches the door.

Her heels echo off the buildings walls, reminding her have empty it was and hollow, she walks a little faster to the wide double doors to face the oncoming storm. She is shivering before she even crosses the entrance way.

 

It was not an un-pretty night, the snow was fresh and untouched like a glittering smooth ivory fabric. The grey clouds were so bright it almost looked like day out, and the only real problem was the unrelenting sleet coming down sideways in dollops.

 

She checks her watch. It is 7:38. She lightly exhales and steadies herself before submerging her feet into the snow.

 

It is was paper mache thick, _and_ _wet_ , and she can feel her boots just barely keep the moisture out.

She pulls her scarf tighter around her neck and trudges onward into the sideways-sleet and tugging wind.

 

It got heavier as she makes it to the center of campus, the large sprawling university seeming bigger the more she walked. Her apartment only felt further away.

Her eyes begin to water as the snow bears down, she can barely check her watch, 7:58. What were the chances she gets frozen solid by the time she makes it a block from her apartment? She snorts at the idea, “Professor Incapacitated by Snowstorm. Students Throw Sato Industry-Themed Party.”

Her hands start to quiver before her eyes, and she looks around to orient herself. It's very hard to tell where she is.

  
“Hey!” Asami jerks her head to the left, eyes smeared with ice, “hey, you!”

 

“Hello?” Asami calls out into the wind.

“Get over here.” A voice signals her from the road.

It sounded friendly, not like a-stranger-with-candy.

 

“Who is it?” She yells back as she stumbles towards the headlights of a car. She is relieved to find the large golden insignia of the campus-patrol on the side of the white car in front of her.

“Some help.” The voice chirps, it sounds faintly familiar.

 

“Thank God,” she hurries over to the passenger side of the Bronco, sturdy and no doubt with snow tires like a beast.

 

She clambers into the side of vehicle, almost recklessly.

 

“You really shouldn’t be out in this.” The woman chimes at her.

 

“Oh really?” She deadpans as she shakes off the ice. Of course, she regrets the sarcasm when she looks up and finds the clearest blue eyes she had ever seen.

 

Bundled up with a puffy black jacket was a officer with an open face and chin-length hair. She had her badge tacked on to the outside of her coat, a wide smile with teeth like pearls and a finely dark skin that contrasted the white snow behind her.

And eyes blue, blue, blue.

 

“I’m Asami,” she says quickly. "Asami Sato."

 

“Yeah,” the woman nods, “one of the Professors from EngCo. I’ve seen you around.” Asami blinks in surprise, the woman turns to her, “I’m Korra.”

 

Asami smiles to herself, “nice to meet you Korra. You are my savior.” She says sincerity. “I was going to freeze out there.”

 

Korra snorts as she starts up the car, “you’re telling me. It’s below zero, and I still get kids trying to sneak around at night. Though,” she flashes those eyes at her again, and a cheeky grin, “I don't get a lot of professors.”

 

Asami sniffs, “I was going to make it home eventually.”

 

Korra snickers, “right. If say so Ms. Sato." It was teasing in an easy way. "Oh, here,” she picks up a thermos, “this’ll warm your hands. And feel free to drink it too.”

 

Asami gratefully takes the hot beverage and feels her fingers come alive as they start to tingle.

“Thanks.” She breaths and looks out the almost white-out window. “Do you think you can make it University Lane?”

“Sure,” Korra pats the top of her white Bronco, “my baby can make it anywhere.”

Asami breaks into another smile.

Korra cruises along the barely traversable road, slow and careful, Asami recovers some feeling in her toes as heat blasts.

 

"So, what were you doing out so late?” Korra asks conversationally.

 

“Talking with a student.” Asami responds.

 

“Man, I hope they are okay going home like this too.”

 

Asami blinked, that never occurred to her, was Opal okay? She left before Asami did, god she hoped she was okay.

 

Asami takes her hat off and shakes out her long hair, frost scatters from the tips of her hair.

 

“Hey!” Korra calls out as it hits her.

 

“Oh,” Asami’s face flushes, “oops.”

 

“You're worse than my dog.”

 

“It’s very wet out,” she says practically.

 

“Yeah, I hope you can warm soon, those boots look soaked.”

 

Asami frowns, “me too.” She sighs, “And I also have papers to grade and laundry piling up." She babbles, "today is not a great day.”

 

Korra nods, “tell me about it. I had this girl break up with her boyfriend and wonder into the woods on some sort of spirit quest. Had to go drag her down kicking and screaming.”

 

Asami laughs, covering her mouth as she does. “A spirit quest?”

 

Korra just shakes her heads, “kids. They all think they’re in love and do anything for it.”

 

Asami smiles, she liked kids, “isn’t that nice though?” She looks out the window, “being so certain every other person is ‘The One.’ They’re sweet.”

A silence like soft powder settling to the ground spans between them for a moment.

“Do you believe in things like ‘The One’ then Ms. Sato?” She asks teasingly as they take a sharp turns towards off campus.

“It’s not very scientific.” She says thoughtfully.

  
“You do, don’t you?” She announces gleefully.

“Oh come on. We aren’t young.”  
  
“Well. I think it’s possible. Especially with nights like these.”

Asami blinks at her, “nights like what?” She asks slowly, the words rolling in her mouth like marbles.  
  
“You know. Dire. Cold. Kind terrible.” Korra smiles her wide sparkling smile, eyes as blue as mountain tops from far away. "Makes you think you have somewhere to be, with someone."

"Heh," Asami studies her face, “Nights like these makes me more want to never leave my house again. Forget dating.”

Korra nods sagely, “Okay. I hear that too. Netflix and give up.”

Asami chuckles, “Do you have to work all night?”

“That is how it goes.” She shrugs, “helps me pay off my loans for the very college I got the degree from.” She shakes her head with forlorn.

“Oh? How old are you?”

Korra raises an eyebrow, Asami realizes that might be rude. They are approach her home lazily.

“Close to 28.” She was younger than Asami, Korra goes on, “Pretty happy with the gig though. I mean, most of it’s drunk teens and kids looking for a place to hook up in, but sometimes.” She pauses.

“What?”

“It’s silly.”

“Oh come on now.”  
  
"It feels _important._ Sometimes _._ ”  
  
She smiles fondly, her eyes crinkling. "It is. It's," she grins, watching Korra's face, "heroic."

“I wouldn't say that." She stutters but is obviously pleased, "I mean, we sometimes talk kids down from ledges, or stop students from tearing each other apart in a fist fights," She glances at her, "…. or pick up nice Engineering professors. But other than that.”

Asami flushes, “I wouldn’t call me too nice. My students can attest to some of their test scores.”

Korra smirks, “gotta love it when it’s tough though.”

Asami’s eyes flash at her, “good answer.” She murmurs. “Oh!” She looks up, “this place is mine.”

 

Korra hits the breaks and they arrive at a yellow complex with beds of pansy's covered-over and bikes drenched in falling sleets of snow.

 

“Thank you so much.” Asami gushes.

 

“No problem, happy to do it Ms. Sato.”

"Asami." She asserts, "You can call me Asami."

"Oh." She blinks, "Asami then." Their eyes meet like beams of light hitting at just the right angle.

She wanted to get out. She should get out, she was a busy woman, and didn’t do silly things, “And if you get off work.” She finds herself saying, “maybe we could 'give up' and watch Netflix.”

She goes to open the door, but Korra is grabbing her.

“Really?” She spouts.

Asami nods slowly, “my treat. For saving me.”

Korra gives a patented excited look. “I get off at four.”

“In the morning?”

“Oh,” her face wavers, “right, right. That is way too early. Not normal people hours.”

  

“No! I get up then anyway.” She lies.

 

“Really?” Korra seams to accept that with simple lack of skepticism.

 

“Yes.” The cold digs into her back, “I’ll make us breakfast and hot chocolate.” She promises.

 

Korra looks up at her shyly. “It’s a date.”

 

Asami tenses her body but feels butterfly rise in her stomach like it’s monarch season.

 

“See you!” She calls and drops off back into the snow. “My room is 204.” She yells over her shoulder as she goes, she hopes Korra gets that.

 

Asami rushes into her reasonable apartment with reasonable furniture and a good amount of common sense that did not suddenly asks girls out for 4 am dates.

She can’t stop smiling. It was 8:48. She exhales.

 

Asami takes a shower, one of the best probably in her life, the feeling restored to her limbs and an excitement like wedding day sparklers alive in her chest.

She drapes herself in a comfy robe and slides into a warm bed, she tries to sleep. Unfortunately, sparklers don’t go out so easily, they fiz and crackle, glimmering inside her until she’s awake for hours. And that is somehow sort of okay.

 

Finally, she gets up at some ungodly time and starts cooking to distract herself.

 

She makes eggs. And then bacon. Coffee, pancakes, rice buns, more eggs, french toast, and fruit with hash brown side. She didn’t know what Korra liked to eat after all.

 

Then the worrying starts. It was 4:05.

What if she didn’t come? What if she crashes in the snow? What if she was just being polite and never really wanted to--

 

A knock comes at the door at 4:07.

 

She bounces to her feet to answer it, preening her hair and trying to open it like a normal person, a collected person.

 

“Hi!” She bubbles, too loud even to her own ears.

 

Korra smiles smoothly, easily, “Hi yourself.” She does carries an edge of tiredness to her voice.

 

Her clothes are wet, hair plastered to her face and dripping onto the carpet.

 

“Come in, come in,” Asami ushers her in a flurry, “you must be so cold."

 

"Yeah. I had to go get a student from out of tree, don't what he was doing there. But well, outside is not pretty right now."

"That's terrible, come on, I got some food and blankets."

“Uh, I mean, if you don’t mind me coming in. I’m a little soggy.” She seems shy.

“I can’t leave you out here. Who will remind me not walk around in blizzards again?”  
  
Korra relaxes, “well, if _someone_ has to do it, I can tell you a couple more times.” She takes her first steps into Asam's apartment.

"Perfect," Asami smiles, “let’s get you out of those clothes.” Her cheeks grow hot. _Wording_  Asami chides herself. “Out of those clothes and into some of mine I mean.”  _Wording ,_she practically runs out of the room to get a towel.

“You are being way too nice.” Korra says when she returns.

“ _Me_? You're the one that picked me up, and I’m sure I did worse to your car when I dripped all over it.”

“It’s what she’s built for,” Korra puffs out her chest, “but..” She shivers, “I will take those clothes we were talking about.”

Asami hurries to fit in a snug sweater, sweatpants and the heaviest socks she owns, meanwhile Korra pat dries her hair and Asami really, really, tries not stare at the muscles on her sleek sculpted arms.

Really tries.

 

Asami then plies with Korra with all the food she can manage, Korra is hesitant at first 'to intrude,' but Asami insists and she eventually accepts with gusto. Asami is delighted.

 

She apparently liked coffee, pancakes, fruit and bacon (Asami ate all the eggs. It was a lot of eggs).

 

Asami is tired, but Korra’s satin fire-cracker voice keeps her awake alongside the pitter-patter of her own red heart. It's fun.

Everything slows down when they get to the couch and turn the TV on.

Korra is already yawning but Asami understands.

 

“It sure is coming down out there still,” Korra says drowsily as she looks outside.

"It's a nice snow, now that I'm inside that is." She comments.

Korra nods, eyes fixed on her, "I'm glad it happened." Asami bits her lip, they sit close together, shoulders almost touching.

 

They put on _Jessica Jones_ and Korra falls asleep half way through, 8:44 in the morning. Asami lets Korra's head lull onto her shoulder and Asami proceeds to sit perfectly still.

 

Their body heat feeds off each other and somehow, sitting up tall, Assami falls asleep too.

 

When they wake up the city is in full shutdown mode, no one is allowed outside. Too cold, too much snow. Asami would be upset if she really, really wasn't.

 

Korra would have to stay for three more days.

 

‘The One’ is a very unscientific idea, but after all sorts of board games, excited chatter and more slight touches than she can count, Asami isn’t feeling very scientific.

 

Korra stays four days.

**Author's Note:**

> insomniac-arrest.tumblr.com !


End file.
